1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to improvements in an apparatus for lubricating rails and wheel flanges on a railroad.
2. Description of the Prior Art
In the operation of railroads, it has long been the practice to apply grease or similar gel-like lubricants to the sides of the rail at curves, turn-outs, switches and, in some cases, to the sections of track immediately before a switch. Such lubricants have been and still are applied to the inside sides of the rail head at these locations to reduce the friction which naturally occurs as a train's wheels, particularly the wheel flanges, contact the sides of the rail. The resulting reduction in friction reduces wear on both the rail itself and the wheel flanges and contributes to increased fuel consumption in the locomotion of the train. When such lubricant is dispensed on the rail immediately preceding a switch, the movement of the train tends to move the lubricant into the area of the switch so as to reduce the friction on the rail sections and wheel flanges as the train passes over the switch.
In furtherance of this practice, there have been many designs of lubricators and apparatus for securing them so as to permit the automatic application of a lubricant to the rail by reason of the train's passing. In some of these devices, it is the depression of the roadbed that triggers the dispensation of lubricant; in others, it is the tripping of a mechanical device, such as a lever or a plunger, by the train's wheels which activates a lubricant dispensing mechanism. Examples of such prior art devices are shown in U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,884,093; 2,518,786; 2,231,394 and 2,223,714. Common to these devices is the need for means to rigidly secure the device either to the rails or to the track roadbed so that lubricant can be dispensed repeatedly at the desired rate and at the needed location. In most cases, such means involve a mechanical connection to the rail itself, such as by bolting or clamping in various ways. Examples of such connection means are shown in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,147,822 and 2,168,554.
The problems associated with these prior art devices are many. Among other things, these prior art devices are often mechanically complex and difficult to install in the field. As a result, they are also often difficult to maintain and, due to the complexity of their design features, they tend to loosen and then become less effective as they are subjected to vibrations and rail roadbed flexion from traffic and contraction/expansion of the rail from thermal stress. Further, none of the prior art devices can easily accommodate different rail sizes. In effect, these devices either need to be manufactured in different sizes to accommodate each rail size or they need to be adapted to different rail sizes through various shim arrangements or adjustment bolts. These features only add to the tendency of the prior art devices to loosen and become less effective as they are used. Finally, these devices are difficult or impossible to adjust for the effects of wear on the head and face (or side) of the rail.
U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,348,120 and 5,394,958 correct these problems with a rail lubricating system comprised of a wiping bar, a first set of clamps for maintaining the wiping bar in position with respect to the rail, a pump actuator, and a second set of clamps for maintaining the pump actuator in position with respect to the rail. A pump is responsive to the pump actuator for pumping a lubricant from a reservoir to the wiping bar. The wiping bar of U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,348,120 and 5,394,958 is comprised of a manifold body having a plurality of channels formed therein. Each channel has a common beginning point and a unique end point. All of the channels are of substantially equal length. A manifold port plate is connected to the manifold body so as to cover the channels. The manifold port plate has an opening coinciding with the common beginning point of each of the channels and a plurality of apertures, each aperture coinciding with one of the unique end points of the above-described channels. A front blade is connected to the manifold port plate. The front blade has an opening coinciding with the opening of the manifold port plate and a plurality of apertures, which may take the form of slots, coinciding with the apertures of the manifold port plate. A distribution blade has an opening coinciding with the opening of the front blade and a plurality of channels. One channel coincides with each of the apertures of the front blade. The channels extend upwardly to a top edge of the distribution blade whereby a path for a lubricant is provided through the channels of the manifold body, the apertures of the manifold port plate, the apertures of the front blade, and the channels of the distribution blade. A lubricant inlet port extends through the openings in the distribution blade and the front blade. The inlet port is connected to the opening in the manifold port plate to provide the lubricant to the common beginning point of the channels in the manifold body. Once adjusted to the rail size as described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,394,258 and 5,348,120 with the top of the front blade somewhat lower than the top of the distribution blade, lubricant is distributed toward the side of the rail head. A pump pumps lubricant from a reservoir to the wiping bar for application to the rail head.
The rail lubrication apparatus of U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,348,120 and 5,394,958 address many problems of the prior art in that the apparatus is easily installed in the field, is not mechanically complex, has few moving parts, is easily adaptable to multiple rail sizes, and is easily adjustable to accommodate worn rails.
It is an object of the present invention to improve over the rail lubrication apparatus described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,348,120 and 5,394,958, whereby the lubricant is more efficiently and uniformly applied to the rail.